Installing a mA meter

[Roy Sanders]

Hello viewers

does anyone viewing now or in the future know how to install a mA meter to the laser. I am capable, not experienced in this type of install, and my new meter didn't, of course, come with instructions.

I read somewhere on this forum that it can help tweak power settings. So I bought one. Now I want to hook it in. I have a Chinese, Nice-Cut Mechanical IND. laser

Your help is valuable even more so, your time lent to help. A big thank you!

Roy :confused:

[Dan Hintz]

Meter goes between tube and ground... do NOT install it on the high-voltage side.

[Roy Sanders]

Thank you. That is the help I needed; "NOT"
I'll put the positive on the low side and the negative on the ground.
YES?

[Jerome Stanek]

you install it in line of the ground wire. I hooked mine up by taking the ground wire off the tube and connecting it to one side of the meter and the used another wire to go from the other side of the meter to the tube.

[Dave Sheldrake]

you install it in line of the ground wire. I hooked mine up by taking the ground wire off the tube and connecting it to one side of the meter and the used another wire to go from the other side of the meter to the tube.

As Jerome says.... Ground side is the BLACK wire just to be absolutely clear. usually on the end of the tube the beam comes out of.

[Roy Sanders]

Got it. Thank you.

The reason i attend to this group is the good advise.

Roy

[Bill George]

Got it. Thank you.

The reason i attend to this group is the good advise.

Roy

Yes in Series with the ground lead. You could just cut that lead and extend the wire with some of the same type to one side of your meter and another piece of wire back to the tube.

[Ron Gosnell]

Yes in Series with the ground lead. You could just cut that lead and extend the wire with some of the same type to one side of your meter and another piece of wire back to the tube.

I agree with cut the wire and leave the connection to tube alone. You could cause yourself more problems at that connection point.

Gozzie

[Roy Sanders]

Hello Friends,

While feeling a bit ignorant, I have a confession. My machine has a mA meter already affixed. I saw it and knew it, while at the same time didn't' SEE it. No excuse here, I am not so novice that I didn't know what I was looking at (for a year). I thought I was working on a different application for the meter. It wasn't until I began planning my mount and the application for the one I bought that the DUH hit.
The one that is on the laser also has the power dial attached. I cannot control my power settings through the software. The current meter only goes to 30 the new one to 50. The current meter bounces greatly and I never really know if I set it correctly once the current starts, the pulse sends the mA up and down 10 to 15 mAs during operation.

I thought the new one would monitor the truer peak power. Then set the power off that. NOW my novice experience in electronics is shining through.

Do I replace the current meter with the new? Could the, looks to me, cheaper meter be throwing my off. Am I such a novice in electronics such that I just leave well enough alone?

So, if you will forgive my over-assessment of my knowledge of electronics, I will make good use of your advice.

Roy

[Bill George]

Ray, any meter will bounce a bit and the adjustment dial you have I think would be difficult to use unless you have index numbers you reference and mark down for each job. Sounds like a coin toss decision to me.

[Jeff Body]

I would leave the 30 mA on there. It'll give you a better resolution and you'll NEVER have a need to go over 30 mA.

The needle will bounce around alot if you're engraving but should hold a solid reading if you're cutting something.

[Roy Sanders]

Many thank yous for offering your insights and the cautions; this forum helps

Roy

[Jerome Stanek]

You should never get near 30 MA for a 40 watt tube.